I don't like warm, dark, round, sweet, smooth etc., I want natural, fresh, neutral, textured instead ;-)
I'm messing with Nam PSUs , Xps to be precise. The subject is bitten to death but care to comment on advantages of positioning rectifiers far from capacitors and regulator board in old series ? I see Naim changed this in new series.
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The first version. I stumbled on Salas Shunt boards I bought from a German guy some
( cough , cough.) ..10 or 15 years ago ouch ! ..Bought them mainly because nobody elese would and they were cheap ..I wasn't remotely interested in Naim and those who were I thought were helpless Morons. Now I joined the club 🙂
So , I found those boards and it was obvious the guy I bought them from was going to make an XPS . What a luck since I need XPS. I assembled the boards over last week evenings. Audio -24, +24 supply got spare Mundorf 3300uF PSU caps, the rest got 4700uF scavenged BHC caps . Antek Corp provided AS type 100VA transformers with electrostatic shield for hefty $98 and Alieexpress Naim Chassis clone. Little cheesy to use fake Chassis but it's pretty solid and nicely made . I need a hint how to tackle 12 primary wirings . A fuse block with 3 fuses would be nice , Any links to suitable part?
( cough , cough.) ..10 or 15 years ago ouch ! ..Bought them mainly because nobody elese would and they were cheap ..I wasn't remotely interested in Naim and those who were I thought were helpless Morons. Now I joined the club 🙂
So , I found those boards and it was obvious the guy I bought them from was going to make an XPS . What a luck since I need XPS. I assembled the boards over last week evenings. Audio -24, +24 supply got spare Mundorf 3300uF PSU caps, the rest got 4700uF scavenged BHC caps . Antek Corp provided AS type 100VA transformers with electrostatic shield for hefty $98 and Alieexpress Naim Chassis clone. Little cheesy to use fake Chassis but it's pretty solid and nicely made . I need a hint how to tackle 12 primary wirings . A fuse block with 3 fuses would be nice , Any links to suitable part?
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Next one will be little bit heavier and more akin 555 PSU . Custom 800W Tiger Toroids from UK
( really nice guys ) . Ebay sourced original Naim XPS 317 Reg block. China soft start and Shottky common cathode bridge boards. Original XPS carries 2x10kuF and 4 x 4.7KuF capacitors. They will ve replaced with 5x 15kuF and 2x 10kuF .
I managed to buy a pair of new Mundorf 15k uF for half price on the big site. The rest of caps will be standard 15k/40 V Kemets. Eventually sincecI ran out of funds expropriated for that project
PsUs will be used with CDx and CDS3 players.
( really nice guys ) . Ebay sourced original Naim XPS 317 Reg block. China soft start and Shottky common cathode bridge boards. Original XPS carries 2x10kuF and 4 x 4.7KuF capacitors. They will ve replaced with 5x 15kuF and 2x 10kuF .
I managed to buy a pair of new Mundorf 15k uF for half price on the big site. The rest of caps will be standard 15k/40 V Kemets. Eventually sincecI ran out of funds expropriated for that project
PsUs will be used with CDx and CDS3 players.
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Amazing project.Next one will be little bit heavier and more akin 555 PSU . Custom 800W Tiger Toroids from UK
( really nice guys ) . Ebay sourced original Naim XPS 317 Reg block. China soft start and Shottky common cathode bridge boards. Original XPS carries 2x10kuF and 4 x 4.7KuF capacitors. They will ve replaced with 5x 15kuF and 2x 10kuF .
I managed to buy a pair of new Mundorf 15k uF for half price on the big site. The rest of caps will be standard 15k/40 V Kemets. Eventually sincecI ran out of funds expropriated for that project
PsUs will be used with CDx and CDS3 players.
You know , I'm not so sure. Friend of mine bought the same trans and original Naim 555 regulator block to power his Ndac and reports only a marginal improvement over the bare NDac. Nothing akin the reports on Naim forum of a major jump in SQ. He said he was influenced by the change from 202 to 282 preamp and it was a massive upgrade to him . Adding 555 like psu to NDS , he just Wants to believe it's better considering the expense ( even if it's a DIY and not a real thing )
I have no choice since I'm building both PSu units to power CDS3 and form an opinion on different approaches. Cds3 needs PSU to work.
I also have CDx and it can use XPS as well . BUT , I'm planing of adding only analog power supply to it since I hate the idea of huge power transformer capable of powering 200W amp sitting in the CD player like an anchor doing nothing.
I have no choice since I'm building both PSu units to power CDS3 and form an opinion on different approaches. Cds3 needs PSU to work.
I also have CDx and it can use XPS as well . BUT , I'm planing of adding only analog power supply to it since I hate the idea of huge power transformer capable of powering 200W amp sitting in the CD player like an anchor doing nothing.
If you are planning to add PSU to NDAC, it is better to choose NDS, as their prices are not significantly different,. NDAC will once again reduce the PSU supply voltage through a voltage regulator.
I have had both DAC and NDS, and a simple comparison of the analog circuit shows that they have the same architecture. But NDAC seems to have intentionally lowered the sound level. NDS sounds noticeably better. I left NDS behind.
I have had both DAC and NDS, and a simple comparison of the analog circuit shows that they have the same architecture. But NDAC seems to have intentionally lowered the sound level. NDS sounds noticeably better. I left NDS behind.
Did you find a better sounding streamer? If so, which one is it?
It's important to understand GND topology of external Naim PSUs. For example the quiet starpoint in the PSU is one of the reasons why they sound as they do. Also have a look at the multiple 0V lines in the burndy...
It's important to understand GND topology of external Naim PSUs. For example the quiet starpoint in the PSU is one of the reasons why they sound as they do. Also have a look at the multiple 0V lines in the burndy...
To me the problem with NDAC & NDS is that XPS &555 are touted as an upgrade. I understand that out of all voltages supplied by those PSUs only +24 and -24v analog supply is used . The rest is supplied by transformer inside the units. Such a waste.
Latest version of 155My friend, you have observed very carefully. The PCB in the picture is the first version (number 20230425), and I only used it for photography. I also made a finished product, but I have never sold this version. I started selling it from the second version (number 20230510), and I guarantee that the second version is very good without any problems.
On a black board
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I'm waiting for the blue NEC tants to arrive to replace all polymer coupling cra...p which is there now. Also I wonder how I should arrange the regulators so the DR clone will do the least of damage 🙂 For now, I'm thinking of using 317 based regs on time aligned module and buffer module and DR module will be used on Gain stage. I do hope it will work. All regulators are working fine when supplied from 45VDC off the main Supernait PSU.
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